Current spatial audio systems have generally been developed for cinema use, and thus involve deployment in large rooms and the use of relatively expensive equipment, including arrays of multiple speakers distributed around a theater. An increasing amount of advanced audio content, however, is being made available for playback in the home environment through streaming technology and advanced media technology, such as Blu-ray disks, and so on. In addition, emerging technologies such as 3D television and advanced computer games and simulators are encouraging the use of relatively sophisticated equipment, such as large-screen monitors, surround-sound receivers and speaker arrays in home and other listening environments. In spite of the availability of such content, equipment cost, installation complexity, and room size remain realistic constraints that prevent the full exploitation of spatial audio in most home environments. For example, advanced object-based audio systems typically employ overhead or height speakers to playback sound that is intended to originate above a listener's head. In many cases, and especially in the home environment, such height speakers may not be available. In this case, the height information is lost if such sound objects are played only through floor or wall-mounted speakers.